COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CHEMICAL, AMINO ACID COMPOSITION AND HISTOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF AFRICAN OSTRICH MEAT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15421/jchemtech.v33i4.332125Keywords:
African ostrich; meat; chemical composition; amino acid composition; histology; biological value of protein; dietary meat; nutritional value; functional products.Abstract
The work presents a comprehensive study of the chemical composition, amino acid profile and histological features of Ukrainian-produced African ostrich meat in comparison with traditional types of meat raw materials. Modern methods of chemical analysis were used to determine the content of protein, total fat, cholesterol and nitrogenous extractive compounds - carnosine, anserine, carnitine, creatine and taurine. Structural changes in muscle tissue were studied by histological method using the standard technique of staining sections with Ehrlich hematoxylin and eosin, which provides differentiation of cellular and tissue structures for further analysis. The results of the analysis indicate that ostrich meat is characterized by high biological value of protein: the total content of essential amino acids in it is not inferior to the recommended optimal ratio and in some cases exceeds the indicators of "ideal" protein. The total fat content of ostrich meat was significantly lower compared to chicken, turkey, beef and pork, which makes it an attractive dietary product with a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. The concentration of cholesterol in ostrich meat is at a level lower than similar indicators of most traditional types of meat, which also emphasizes its beneficial properties. Histological analysis revealed a characteristic fine-fibrous structure of ostrich muscle fibers with a low density of connective tissue layers, which contributes to the tenderness of the texture and ease of digestion. African ostrich meat should be considered as a high-quality dietary product with the prospect of using not only in traditional culinary technologies, but also in the production of functional food additives and ready-made dishes for preventive purposes. In the future, it is advisable to focus on standardizing the conditions for keeping ostriches, improving the technology of cooling and storing meat, as well as on further clinical and dietary studies to confirm its beneficial effects on human health.
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